Egyptian Promises
by BeccaLouise91
Summary: Tali's school project reminds Ziva the last time they were in Egypt. Inspired by season 17


**Disclaimer: I do not own NCIS.**

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**September 2020**

Ziva sat in her favourite armchair in their Paris apartment, watching Tali do her homework. Tali's class at school was doing a project on the ancient Egyptians. The coffee table was covered with a map of Egypt, and photos of their 'trip' back in September 2016, almost four years to the day.

Trip was the wrong word. As was vacation. Cairo had been neither, but it wasn't a reunion either. The little family spent less 24 hours before Ziva said goodbye and disappeared into the night.

Cairo. It was another place, location, city, connecting Tony and Ziva to each other. DC, Los Angeles, Paris, Berlin, Beersheba, Cairo. How many more would they add over time? When Ziva saw Tony and Tali together, she was both surprised and not surprised. It had been a shock to see them, but deep down, Ziva knew that Tony would track her down. He knew her better than anyone else, including Ziva herself.

In September 2016, Ziva had been walking through a market, changing her accommodation from one side of the city to the other. A slight seedier part of the city. Ziva had momentarily got distracted by a stall selling children's clothes. A little blue dress was hanging, and it instantly reminded Ziva of Tali.

'Hey, sweetcheeks.' Ziva was so surprised that she almost dropped her rucksack.

'Tony! What are you doing here?'

'Came to see you, didn't we Tali?' Ziva followed Tony's gaze and saw her daughter falling asleep. Tony had used a child carrier. It reminded Ziva of the one she used when Tali was a baby.

Tony noticed tears begin to well up in Ziva's eyes. They couldn't do this here. Not with Tali needing a nap and the threat of whoever was chasing Ziva. It was too out in the open.

'Come on.' Tony took Ziva's hand, interlocking their fingers. He led the three of them through lanes and passed other market stalls. Ziva just focused on their hands, relishing the feel of his skin on hers.

They stopped outside an apartment building. Tony let go of Ziva's hand and entered the security code. The front door buzzed and they went inside and up to one of the apartments.

'Airbnb' explained Tony. 'Hotels were not designed for toddlers.' Tony locked the door and pulled Tali out of the carrier. 'Tali, look who it is. It's Ima.'

'Ima?' asked the sleepy two-year-old.

'Yes, motek' said Ziva, softly. Tali opened her eyes a little bit more.

'Ima!' Tali practically launched herself out of Tony's arms and into Ziva's. 'Ima, Ima, Ima.'

Tony and Ziva laughed at Tali's happiness. Ziva bounced her up and down, nodding along with Tali's toddler babble. Tony smiled, happy to observe mother and daughter. Ziva looked at him.

'What?'

'Nothing.' Tony reached forward and pulled Tali and Ziva into a tight hug.

After three years without her love, and four months without her daughter, Ziva finally had what she wanted. The two people she loved the most in the world with her.

* * *

It wasn't long before Tali fell asleep in Ziva's arms. Tony watched as Ziva sung Hebrew lullabies as Tali slept.

'Let's put her in her room' said Tony. He gestured towards one of the bedrooms. Ziva was reluctant to let for of Tali. 'Ziva we need to talk and we can't do it with a sleeping two-year-old.' Eventually, Ziva gave in and placed Tali on the bed Tony has set up for her.

'How long have you been here?' asked Ziva when she came out of the room.

'A couple of days.'

'How long are you staying?'

'Honestly, I don't know. Long enough to make the jet lag seem worth it. Another thing that doesn't work with toddlers.'

Ziva couldn't help but chuckle very quietly. She stayed by the bedroom door, wanting to listen to the snores of Tali. She couldn't hear them though, not really. Ziva looked up and her eyes met Tony's.

'Ziva' he whispered and within seconds, they were in each other's arms, kissing passionately. Three years is a long time not to be with your love.

Tony pulled apart from Ziva. He brushed her hair out of her face, tears in both their eyes. They smiled.

'Why?' asked Tony, quietly.

'I do not know' answered Ziva. Tony sighed and pulled Ziva into a hug again. He kissed the top of her head, believing that she did not know why she had done the things she did, make those decisions, and what on earth was going on.

He had imagined this conversation going differently. He had imagined it 100 different ways. They could argue or shout, and throw hurtful things at each other, but none of it mattered. What mattered was that she was alive, Tali was safe and for a few hours, they would be a normal family on vacation.

* * *

By the time Tali woke up from her nap, Ziva had cooked some dinner. It felt very domesticated, eating dinner as a family. Tali refused to let go of Ziva and in the end, they sat on the sofa, eating. Tali sat on Ziva's lap, Tony's arm around Ziva's shoulders. They even had the tv on, watching some tv show that Tali liked. There was laughter and love.

They could have talked whilst Tali napped. Tony had questions, even if Ziva would struggle to give answers. Instead, they just sat, mainly in silence, enjoying each other's presence, with a little bit of acting like teenagers.

'Shall we show Ima our photos, Tali?' said Tony, taking out his phone. Tali clapped her hands and giggled. Tony handed it over to Ziva who began to flick through the app. Photos of the past few months. Of Tali playing with her toys in Tony's apartment, playing with Senior, Tony pushing her on the swings. Tali's second birthday party with Senior and Team Gibbs. Photos of their trip to Israel and to Paris. Tony narrated what they had done, with Tali interjecting her own thoughts and babble. Tears began to well up in Ziva's eyes.

'Ima, sad?' asked Tali. Ziva sniffed, unsure what to say.

'No baby' said Tony. 'Ima's happy.'

'Appy?'

'Yes, Tali. Ima and Abba are very happy because we have you, little one.' Tony tickled Tali's tummy, making her giggle again. That sound made both her parents smile.

Tony took the phone and took a photo of Tali and Ziva.

It'll be fine, Ziva' said Tony, quietly. He could tell Ziva was worried. He showed Tali and Ziva the photo, making them both smile. Tony took a few more, mainly of Tali, with him, with Ziva. He draped his arm around Ziva, pulling her around. He lifted his hand took a selfie photo of the three of them. He showed it to Tali and Ziva.

Their first family photo.

Ziva smiled when Tony showed her, but he saw the sadness in her face, the worry. He reached out and squeezed her hand. Ziva squeezed back.

Tali suddenly gave a yawn.

'Are you getting tired, motek?' asked Ziva, stroking Tali's hair. Tali shrugged her shoulders, but leaned against Ziva's chest. Ziva wrapped her arms around Tali, not wanting this to end.

'Tell her' said Tony, softly.

'What?'

'Tell her.' Tony kissed the top of Ziva's head. He got up and went to do the washing up. Ziva moved Tali so they were facing each other. Tali reached out for the necklace around Ziva's neck, the one Tali picked out.

'I love you Tali' began Ziva. She felt tears well up. 'I love you so much, but I need you to be brave for me.' Tali glanced up at her Ima. 'Can you be Ima's brave little girl?' Tali giggled. Ziva stroked Tali's hair again. 'Be brave, my Tali, and be strong. Be safe. Be a good girl for Abba.'

'Abba' said Tali, pointing towards Tony. She sounded tired. Ziva tilted Tali's chin so they were looking at each other.

'I love you Tali, with all my heart. I promise that I will come home, Tali. I will do everything in my power to come home to you and Abba.'

* * *

It was late. Ziva had put Tali to bed, read a story, sung a lullaby. Tali was sound asleep, on in her dreamland. Ziva was standing in the doorway, watching Tali sleep, her little chest moving up and down. A noise behind her made Ziva turn around. Tony had put her rucksack on the table, and was putting some leftovers in it.

'Tony, you do not need to that.'

'Yes, I do Ziva. Goodness know when you are going to eat next.' Ziva let out a short, quiet chuckle.

'Why are you OK with this?' asked Ziva. Tony chuckled this time.

'I'm not, Ziva. I'm furious, with you for not telling me about Tali, for the situation we currently find ourselves in. But I know you. I know that you would not leave if this wasn't serious. For you to leave her, our daughter, even for a short while, it must mean life or death, and we both agree that Tali's life is the most important thing to both of us.' His voice was full of emotion.

Tony picked up Ziva's rucksack and they wandered over to the front door. Both were crying, silently now.

'I am sorry, Tony' said Ziva.

'Rule six, Ziva.' Ziva chuckled. She smiled weakly and cupped Tony's face.

'You are the best man I know' she said, through tears. 'You are going to be an incredible father.' Tony placed his hand over Ziva's.

'I'll keep her safe. I promise' he whispered. Ziva nodded and then they were kissing. Kissing like this could be their last kiss forever, pouring everything and anything into it.

'I love you Tony' whispered Ziva.

'I love you too, Zi.'

They broke apart. Ziva picked up the rucksack and slung it on her shoulders. She walked out of the rented apartment. At the end of the hall, she turned back and saw Tony still standing in the doorway, watching. He lifted his hand to wave bye, Ziva doing the safe. Memories of an Israeli airport wafted into their minds.

'Ima?' Ziva looked up. She was no longer in Egypt, on the run or in the past. She was in Paris. Six year old Tali was in front of her, showing her one of her drawings. 'What do you think Ima?' The drawing was of some ancient Egyptian art.

Ziva chuckled.

'It is wonderful, Tali.' Tali smiled and went back to the coffee table.

Tony wandered into the room and perched on the armrest of Ziva's armchair.

'You OK?' he asked. 'You went rather, um, pensive.' Ziva smiled.

'Just thinking about the past.'

'Oh yeah?' Ziva nodded.

'I was also thinking, that perhaps we could get some family photos done, professionally.' Tony smiled.

'That sounds like an excellent idea.' He bent down and kissed Ziva.

'Yuck' came Tali's voice. Tony and Ziva pulled apart. Tali was having some trouble with the glue, but her parents weren't sure that was the yucky thing.

'You want some help, T?' asked Tony. Tali shrugged her shoulders and continued to get in a mess with the glue. 'Come here.' Tony got up and took Tali to the kitchen.

Ziva smiled. She was right. Tony was an incredible father.

Tali came back into the living room and to her project. She smiled at her Ima. Tali was right too. Ima kept her promise to come back.

Tony stood in the doorway, watching Ziva read and Tali do her school project. God, he loved them so much. The first year without Ziva was difficult for both Tali and Tony. Tony had to juggle being a single parent, moving to Paris and starting a new job. When Ziva came back, the pressure both Tony and Ziva had been living with, lifted slightly, and over the past nine months, it had almost gone. They were parents. They were always going to worry, but now the worry was a joint one, and they could share it.

Tony went into his and Ziva's bedroom. Making sure that no one had followed him, Tony pulled a box off a shelf. He opened and fished out a small velvet black box. Inside was his mother's engagement ring. Senior had given him it years ago, under the pretense of wanting Tony to look after it and have something of his mother.

Now Tony was wondering if he should consider using it for its real purpose.

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**Hope you like it. **

**This is a one-off. It fits within the timeline of Reunion. I did consider having it as a chapter but change my mind.  
**

**Thanks for reading. See you soon :)**


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